This old house

Built in 1850, and the carriage house for the home next door, the two-story brick house we bought eight and a half years ago is something special.  I know I'm not alone in adoring my house, but it feels good to write it down.  To acknowledge the little things that make it so. 

Thomas and I have weathered horrendous personal storms and celebrated new beginnings here. Those are certainly times to remember.

We've hosted family gatherings and chatted with our dearest friends around the dining room table. Another tick in the special column.

Three of our children were born here, two in our upstairs bedroom and one right in the middle of the living room.  This is the place where our children learn, play, question and are inspired. That's EXTRA special!  

And next week we'll celebrate another Christmas here. Each holiday imprinting new and etched-in-our-hearts forever memories.  The kind of memories that keep you warm when it's -5 and remind you of what's "worth keeping." 

For all its negatives (well, being this old means there are plenty!), there are more positives. And what's really interesting is that even some of those negatives are actually positives in disguise. Its small rooms sometime make me feel boxed in and squished, but I also love how cozy that feels. Less space to clean feels pretty damn good too! Crooked old pine floors can be a pain to sweep, with last night's toast crumbs or play dough remnants hiding in the space between the boards.  But how incredible to think about the people whose feet walked these floors.

We have definitely outgrown this house, space-wise anyway.  The time will come when we decide to move on, but for now I'll continue to enjoy living in this old house.